When we suffer from back pain or a stiff neck, we don’t often think our mattress might be the culprit. However, since we spend roughly 8 hours each night in bed, it should be quite obvious how important a good mattress is to spinal health. If you don’t have the right mattress you might start suffering from back ache and wake up in pain. This makes finding the right mattress that offers you the correct amount of support absolutely vital.
A mattress that is too hard
If you are lying on a mattress that is too hard, your shoulders will not have enough space to sink into the mattress. This places too much pressure on the cervical vertebrae and shoulders.
A mattress that is too soft
A mattress that is too soft, on the other hand, will cause you to sink to far into the sleeping surface, which then means your spine won’t be adequately aligned. This is certainly a big problem for your lower back, if you sleep on your side!
What is the best mattress, if you suffer from back pain?
With back problems it is certainly a good idea to buy a mattress that you can test out. When testing the mattress, make sure that your back forms a nice straight horizontal line when you are lying on your side. If that is the case and you notice after 3 to 4 weeks that your back complaints decrease (this time your body needs to get used to a new mattress), then you’ve found the best mattress for your back! You might also want to look out for a mattress that is of medium firmness, as these offer sufficient amount of support, while also providing a comfortable sleeping surface. Try to avoid mattresses that are too soft, as these will cause you to sink to far into the mattress.